This invention relates to apparatus for handling wound rolls and more particularly, to apparatus for dividing or diverting a series or stream of wound rolls into a plurality of separate streams. As such, the invention has utility in connection with the production of wound rolls such as toilet paper or towelling. These paper rolls are produced at high speed on machines commonly referred to as "rewinders". The rewinder receives a jumbo roll (often 4 to 6 feet in diameter and 5 to 10 feet in length) and unwinds the same incident to a series of rewindings to produce the conventional retail size rolls. Normally, the rewinding results in a log having the diameter of the ultimate roll but having a length the multiple of the retail roll length. The logs are normally processed through a log saw which cuts the logs transversely, and this also is achieved at high production rates. Resulting from this operation of rewinding and log sawing is a steady, high velocity stream of rolls requiring packaging. The current art in packaging machinery is incapable of maintaining the pace set by the rewinder-log saw so multiple packaging machines are needed for each rewinder-log saw installation. A reliable, simple and rugged means is required for distributing the rolls to the various packaging machines and the provision of such a distribution apparatus constitutes an important object of this invention.
The advantageous distribution of wound rolls at high speed is achieved through the arrangement of a takeaway conveyor above the log saw output conveyor whereby the takeaway conveyor grips the individual rolls via depending fingers and then transports them along an upwardly inclined path for selective transfer to diverter conveyors each equipped with upstanding grippers.